A little bit of Cadillac's past, a lot of its future

2014 Cadillac ATS Research

What's New

We knew this was coming. It was just a matter of time. In 2013, Cadillac introduced the ATS as a new entry-level luxury car, moving the CTS up from a half-step car to a true midsize sedan. The ATS meanwhile filled the CTS's old spot, competing with a the BMW 3 Series and Lexus IS, among others, better in size, price, and specification. Yet, there was something lacking: A sportier door-count option for those looking at a personal luxury sports coupe.

In 2014, BMW is returning to that arena with its 4 Series. Lexus quasi-competed with its IS C, but it will now have a legitimate competitor in the RC. And Cadillac is introducing the ATS coupe to supplant the CTS coupe as the sportiest option in the Wreath-and-Crest brand's lineup. Scratch that, it's now all about the crest.

Who It's For

With limited rear-seat room, the Cadillac ATS has always better served those who think they need the utility rather than those who might actually. There are larger vehicles in the segment. The ATS coupe is for those who desire something sportier, something a little more unique.

Adopting a new grille design with a redesigned logo, Cadillac no longer wants to be seen as an old-person brand. Cues are borrowed from the Pebble Beach smash-hit Cadillac Elmiraj concept car. And with a less raked, more traditional roofline than the Cadillac CTS, it harkens a new direction for the brand while evoking some of Cadillac's past glory by way of the Eldorado luxury coupe that left the automaker's lineup in the early 2000s.

Key Features

There's more to the 2015 Cadillac ATS coupe than just the loss of two doors and a new grille. Other features include:

An available six-speed manual with the turbo engine. Otherwise, it's a six-speed automatic.

Available all-wheel drive for both engines, including the four-cylinder manual.

A 40mm-wider rear track than the sedan, including a new staggered tire setup.

And, of course, that new logo, which will eventually spread throughout Caddy's lineup.

What We Think

Cadillac spent a relatively scant amount of money to develop the CTS coupe and wagon, yet its reputation was bolstered because the products were new and exciting. Now comes the ATS, and it continues that tradition, albeit not nearly as surprising for Cadillac as it once was.

The 2015 Cadillac ATS coupe promises to be an even sportier car than the sedan, which bodes well for it. The next question we have is how it will stack up to the Audi A5, Lexus RC, and all of the other cars in its class. And with this car as aggressive as it is, what does this mean for the Cadillac ATS-V when it debuts? We're excited.